Image via Complex Original
On June 20, Kansas center Joel Embiid—the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft—underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot. Six days later the 7-foot Cameroon native did not go first overall and instead fell to third to the Philadelphia 76ers. For many players this would've been a time of frustration, anger, and possibly self-pity. "Why me?" a player in Joel's position might've asked as the screws in his foot literally screwed him out of millions of dollars. But that's not Joel. What did he do?
He took to Twitter.
Joel-Hans Embiid turned pro in more than just basketball last week, as his social media game has gone from NCAA student athlete to perennial NBA All-Star in a matter of days. Tweet-recruit the biggest free agent on the planet LeBron James? Check. Favorite a tweet comparing your penis size to his? Check. Block LeBron when he refuses to answer back? Triple check. And this was just over four days.
Let us celebrate the wonder that is MoJoJo's Twitter account. Here are 16 Reasons Why Joel Embiid Is Already The NBA's Twitter MVP. #EMB11D
Recruiting The King
When the best player on the planet is up for grabs, why wouldn't you do what you can to get him on your squad? Who cares if it doesn't make sense from anything but a financial standpoint? As Michael Scott once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. - Wayne Gretzky."
Not Afraid Of Adam Silver
It's better to ask forgiveness than permission, right? Recruit LeBron James first, worry about the fine second.
The Ancient Art Of Tweet-Dodging
An NBA Twitter scrub might say their phone "got hacked" after tweeting something they now regret...but not Joel. Whether he got a phone call from his agent with some happy LA news or was simply tweeting the results of a tragically inaccurate NBATV mock draft or had a friend actually steal his phone and write "I'm a laker", shifting blame in a believable way is a huge part of being famous on Twitter.
He Blocked LeBron James on Twitter
The first block of Joel Embiid's NBA career was on LeBron James. Never forget that.
"LeBitch"
No other NBA player is favoriting a tweet that features both "nigga" and LeBron James being referred to as "LeBitch".
Hospital Selfies
Doped up in a hospital about to get some screws put into your foot? Selfie.
Waiting On LeBron / Using Your Own Meme
The NBA Draft's tape delay made a meme out of Joel Embiid, who sat stone-faced as we watched him get drafted to the Sixers. Hilarious to us watching at home, potentially embarrassing for Joel and his new team.
But instead of ducking the obvious, Joel chose to play along. Still haven't heard back from Bron? Give 'em the Gas Face tape delay face.
He Likes Blondes
Unafraid to show love to all the beautiful people who come across his timeline, Embiid's favorites are peppered (salted?) by the occasional gorgeous blond. At one point there was a favorite of a chick with a visible pierced nipple, but it looks like someone rightly gave him a heads-up to make sure the women on his account are clothed.
Not Afraid Of The Unpopular Opinion
Joel Embiid is a product of Cameroon, and much like many Africans, is a huge soccer fan. Unlike many in his position, though, Joel was unafraid to speak his mind about the World Cup and Team USA. He even went so far to admit on the Dan Patrick Show that he'd rather be a big soccer star than a big basketball star, proving to us that he'd rather be honest than politically correct. Was USA lucky to beat Ghana? Maybe. But only an athlete as bold as Joel would have the onions to say so publicly.
Generic Motivational Tweets
You can't be a professional athlete on social media and not post at least the occasional random motivational quote. You can't. It's in the rulebook somewhere.
Flexing On Other Philly Athletes
Evan Mathis is one of the best offensive guards in the NFL and also one of the most popular Philadelphia athletes on Twitter. So what does Joel do when Evan Mathis gives him a shoutout? He favorites a tweet saying he's already better at Twitter than the Eagles lineman.
Evan's been in the game for years and just got handled on Twitter by a rookie who has never even been to Philly yet.
D-Up
Name another NBA player who would favorite an incorrectly-spelled tweet comparing their dick to the dick of the world's most famous basketball player, knowing full well that famous player might see it. You can't. Because Joel Embiid is the only one.
Dicktweetception
Not only did Joel Embiid favorite a tweet asking him who had the bigger dick between him and LeBron James, he favorited a tweet about him favoriting that tweet. It's #dicktweetception.
12
Being trilingual (English, French, Bassa) gives him the opportunity to dominate the Twitter paint in multiple ways. Zut Alors!
He Acknowledges His Own Twitter Dominance
Favoriting a tweet of your own Wikipedia "Best Twitter as an Athlete" award? That's an MVP move.
This Is His Twitter Avi Now
#TapeDelayFace
He Learned From Other Players' Mistakes
"No homo" = Fine. Joel's not falling in the same trap that caught fellow 7-footer Roy Hibbert.